Trekking Costa Rica 2018 © All rights reserved
Cerro Urán is a 3,660 m.a.s.l mount located in the Chirripó National Park. This high mountain is mostly composed of sharp rocks which give it a majestic appearance. Even though this is not the highest peak in the country, it has the best views from its top. The reason is that the nearby mountain formations are not as high as Urán, resulting in very wide and clear landscapes to both sides of the country: Pacific and Caribbean. Thus, this is a new Chirripo tour for adventures who want the very best of trekking in Costa Rica.
In October 2019, the national system of conservation areas (SINAC) opened up the option to visit Cerro Urán in a 3-day trek. This new option allows trekkers to have a wonderful adventure tour different from the traditional trek to Chirripó peak. You may find more information about the tour by clicking on the information box below.
Besides its imposing altitude and clear landscape, the trail to Mt Urán is wonderful. The hike starts in a nice village called Herradura, which belongs to the Rivas district. Visitors spend the night prior the trekking tour here and start the hike the next day very early in the morning. From the village, trekkers will travel around 40 min in a vehicle that will drop them off at the entrance of the trail. Once in the place, hikers get ready to start climbing the slopes of the Talamanca Mountain Range all the way to the continental divide.
This trail goes through an area of pasture lands first, and then submerges you into the deep rain-forest of the area. As hikers ascent, they will encounter huge oak trees covered with moss that give them a mystic appearance. The mere fact of hiking withing this quiet and peaceful forest will turn this expedition in a wonderful experience. Not only will you get in touch with nature, but with your own being. Finally, the trail reaches the open country found above 3,000 m.a.s.l.
From this forest, the trail continues on the continental divide where you will have a wide view, mostly to the Pacific side. In the end, hikers will arrive in the shelter named “Paso de Los Indios”. The place was given this name because “Paso de Los Indios” means Indians’ Pass and this place has been a path for indigenous people since ancient times.
The following are the two options to visit Mt Urán in Chirripo National Park. Consider reading the information for both tours so you can decide according to your needs, distance, number of days and other factors. Please, e-mail us if you need further assistance on making your choice.
Besides the wonderful rainforest on the way to the Talamanca Mountain Range, you will experience nice landscapes to the Pacific side of the country on your way up. Once you reach the higher elevation of the mountain range, you can also witness the beautiful landscapes of the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.
Possibly, one of the activities trekkers love the most is watching sunrises and sunsets. Thus, this tour offers an incredible scenario to witness a huge variety of warm colors and the amazing show the sun offers when setting. In addition to the visual experience, one finds a strong feeling of peace and gratefulness when perceiving nature events. The sunset can be seen from “Paso de los Indios” shelter, while the sunrise is astonishing from the top of Mt Urán.
The trail to “Paso de Los Indios is very steep and there are some sectors that require passing small bridges. However, it is overall a good experience for hiking. Most of the trail goes withing the shades of a dense jungle in the rainforest and only the very last 2 km on the continental divide are exposed to sun radiation. Nevertheless, this is the part where you will enjoy having a clear climate so clouds do not interfere your view.
The summit of this outstanding peak is an incredible spot to appreciate the magnificence of mountain formations in Costa Rica. From here, you can get to see both coastlines simultaneously, if weather conditions allow it. It is a great place to share with your close friends and celebrate the success of being able to conquer this summit.
There are some items that are essential when taking any of the tours to visit “Cerro Urán”. These include a headlamp, raincoat, hiking shoes, bottle of water or a camel bag, winter hat, warm gloves, wind breaker, shoes to stay in the base camp, towel, and sunblock. Additionally, you must bring a sleeping bag. If you cannot bring one with you, let us know while making your reservation so we can provide it. This will have an additional cost.
Yes, you can hire porter service to send your baggage. We can arrange this service for you, please make your request when booking and we will make the arrangements for you.
Yes, Guiding service is mandatory to take this trek.
We are a tour operator established in Costa Rica that offers hiking and mountaineering options for those who wish to explore the most remote and majestic places in Costa Rica.
When planning your trip, it is advisable to know certain aspects about the country you visit. Therefore, we have a section you may want to read in order to know generalities of the country.
Trekking Costa Rica 2018 © All rights reserved
San Isidro de El General
Pérez Zeledón, San José
Costa Rica 11901
+(506)83782641
info@trekkingcostarica.com